Dengue (sometimes known as breakbone fever) is a viral infection caused by the dengue virus (DENV), a mosquito-borne flaviviruses which is found in tropical and sub-tropical climates, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. The dengue virus has four different serotypes: DENV 1, DENV 2, DENV 3, and DENV 4. Whilst human infection is often asymptomatic […]
At the beginning of November 2024, it was reported in the news that 77-year-old, Patricia Lines, had sadly died shortly after receiving a Vitamin B12 injection the year before, in October 2023. On the day following the injection, she had become unwell and was admitted to hospital with a confirmed Group A Streptococcus infection. She […]
Shingles, a painful and often debilitating condition, remains a significant public health concern, particularly among older adults and those with weakened immune systems. While the UK vaccination programme has dramatically reduced the incidence of shingles and its complications, there is still much work to be done to protect vulnerable populations. We have now reached the […]
As the importance of vaccinations continues to grow, especially in the wake of increasing awareness around respiratory viruses, questions often arise about who is legally and practically able to administer vaccines. One VERY common question at the moment is whether healthcare assistants (HCAs, also know as Healthcare Support Workers or HCSWs) can administer the RSV […]
As healthcare professionals, safeguarding public health is at the heart of what we do, especially when it comes to preventing the spread of infectious diseases like influenza. The NHS Flu Vaccination Programme is a critical initiative designed to protect the most vulnerable populations through targeted vaccination efforts. Prioritising clinical risk groups for vaccination is essential […]
Not another vaccine, you say? Yes, and here’s why: The UK is set to introduce and roll out a new respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine — and for all the right reasons. As the first country in the world to have a national programme using the same vaccine to protect both its youngest and oldest […]
Before you ask, no, we haven’t gone back in time…it’s still 2024 and despite it being the middle of the summer, we are in fact, fast approaching the flu season! The NHS England has now confirmed the start dates for the 2024/25 flu vaccine programme with two main risk groups prioritised for the initial rollout; […]
No-one likes injecting children and it’s always a challenge making sure they have adequate information that they and their caregivers understand. Children present in a wide range of maturity levels, and consequently with a wide range of needs and tolerances. Injecting moving targets is never easy. And to make it even harder, once they get […]
Health Care Support Workers (HCSWs) play a crucial role in the delivery of the flu vaccination campaign every year. In the second part of our blog series Get Prepped for Flu– we will look at the immunisation and flu training requirements for HCSWs in relation to the National Minimum Standards and Core Curriculum for Immunisation […]
Patient group directions (PGDs) have long been a valuable tool for streamlining medication access in the UK healthcare system. Traditionally, their use has been reserved for pharmacists and other registered healthcare professionals, however as of 26th June 2024, their application has been expanded to allow registered pharmacy technicians to supply and administer prescription-only-medications (POM) under […]
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